


Going to Hell

by Sister_Grimm



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Demonic Possession, Implied Violence, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-13
Updated: 2016-11-13
Packaged: 2018-08-30 16:52:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8541109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sister_Grimm/pseuds/Sister_Grimm
Summary: Hartley has made some questionable decisions in his life. Helping the cute guy from his therapy summon a demon is really high on that list.





	

Hartley meets Axel Walker on his first day of group therapy. Axel is... capital "I" Interesting. He sits on the floor unless Dr. Snow yells at him and he constantly looks like he's listening to someone no one else can hear, head cocked to the side.

Hartley can't figure out where he knows him from until Axel gives his name and then the last piece falls into place. Axel Walker, the Trickster. Serial bomber diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. 

He's also gorgeous, with the most ridiculous puppy dog eyes Hartley has ever seen. 

That is why he is here, in Axel's apartment.

The wood floor has a pentagram drawn in blue chalk and Axel is placing blue or yellow candles at the points.

For some reason Hartley thought he'd use black. He has no idea why but it seemed appropriate.

"Yo, Hart. Pass me the bag.", Axel calls from his place in the middle of the pentagram.

Hartley nods, reaching for the black duffle bag resting by the door. The bag is heavy but not over stuffed and there is something dried and brown at the bottom and Hartley cringes. _No way, it can't be..._

Axel takes the bag from him easily and sets it down outside of the pentagram. He unzips it with a giggle and pulls out a leg. It takes the smell to hit before Hartley realizes that that is not a mannequin leg. 

Hartley feels the color drain from his face. "Axel..."

"Limbs of a girl named Holly. Jesse was very specific.", Axel says with a giggle.

"Axel, Jesse's not... ", he cuts himself off, the deranged smile Axel is giving him is all teeth and makes it obvious he doesn't want to finish that sentence.

Hartley watches in horror as Axel arranges the disarticulated limbs at four of the pentagram points.

"Where's the head?", he asked awkwardly.

"With the torso.", Axel says with a shrug.

That is not comforting in the least. 

But Axel tucks his feet under himself and lights the candles with a Zippo printed with a clown. "Get the lights.", there's another manic giggle but there's a ferocity in Axel's eyes that tells him this is a command not a suggestion.

Hartley nods and kills the light in the room. Axel's perfect fucking face is illuminated by the glow of the candles. And he is absolutely grinning.

Axel leans back on his heels and begins to chant. Slow and purposeful. Drawing out each word slowly. The fact that he isn't tripping over the Latin scares Hartley more than he'd like to admit.

The wind picks up and the candles flare and then just as quickly die down. Axel tenses, drawing in on himself ever further. And then nothing

Axel opens his eyes. He looks the same, Hartley thinks. And then he stands up. And then Hartley realizes that that is not Axel. Axel is always drawn in on himself, now he stands tall and confident, with a pleased smirk.

"You must be Hartley.", Axel - not Axel- says. He doesn't sound at all like Axel, low and pleased. It's Axel's voice but the cadence and pitch is all wrong.

Hartley nods in stunned silence. "Axel?", he asks quietly.

"James. James Jesse.", Axel says with a dissonant, echoey laugh.

"What kind of name is James Jesse?", Hartley can't help but crack. He's trying to take some form of comfort in the ridiculousness of that name.

"A Biblical one.", Axel grins, with a casual shrug. "We aren't all named Beelzebub." 

Hartley finds that unlikely.

Hartley takes a step back. His eyes are focused on Axel - James, whatever - who gives him a toothy, wicked smile. And Axel takes a step forward, rubbing out a bit of the chalk line of the pentagram and then casually stepping out of the cage that Axel had promised would keep Hartley safe.

Hartley has the sickening, sinking feeling that Axel lied to him.

"He likes you, you know.", Axel grins.

Hartley tenses, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Axel/Jesse laughs, "He never stops talking about you."

And if Hartley said he wasn't attracted to Axel he'd be lying. Axel/Jesse steps closer to him and even though there is several feet between them Hartley can all but feel his breath on his lips.

"Axel...", he breathes.

Axel/Jesse grins. "Close enough." And then Axel/Jesse pushes him up against the wall. And he's seen that smile before, just once at group therapy. Axel had flashed that same, wide, toothy, downright predatory grin when he'd caught Hartley staring at him. That had been weeks ago.

"You've been there the whole time.", Hartley realizes.

"Pretty and clever.", Axel/Jesse says with a pleased smile.

"How long."

"Hmm, since he was about 13.", Axel/Jesse grins.

Hartley's stomach twists. He knows Axel is younger than him but not by much. He's confident that "since he was 13" is at least half of Axel's life.

"How?"

"It's not hard to convince a suicidal thirteen year old to sell his soul.", Axel/Jesse laughs, proud and gleeful.

Hartley tries to take a step back and ends up colliding roughly with the wall. Axel/ Jesse laughs and then reaches out, his hand dancing over the back of Hartley's neck. Hartley flinches at the contact, "Axel..."

Axel/Jesse laughs, "Well if it helps, he's in here somewhere.", and Hartley finds himself looking into Axel/Jesse's eyes. And Hartley would really like to pretend he doesn't stare at Axel but he stares enough that he knows there's something just wrong with Axel's eyes, they're far too light.

"Axel...", he repeats, as Axel, not Axel he forces himself to remember, caresses his cheek.

"He always finds the prettiest boys. And please, call me James."

"He ...what?", Hartley's blood runs cold as James gives him the same predatory smile. 

"Well, there was Mark and Mick and oh, Len was fun. And that nice criminologist, he was so trusting, what was his name? But you, you're just so pretty." And Jesse draws out the last word, all but licking his lips as he just watches Hartley.

"I'm pure as the driven snow.", Hartley mutters dryly, trying to cover the tremor of fear in his voice.

"Mm, not exactly.", Jesse laughs as his thumb brushes over Hartley's lips. "But I think we'll have lots of fun anyway."

Hartley finds his mouth opening to the touch, even as he finds himself terrified by Jesse's idea of fun.

"So, Hartley...do you want to play a game?" And that's Axel's voice. Just Axel's voice, excited and hopeful.

And even though not being to say no to Axel is what got him into this situation, whatever this situation is, he finds himself answering, "Yes."

Axel grins and finally pulls Hartley in for a kiss.

Axel giggles softly, "This won't hurt."

Axel lied.


End file.
